


A Short Summer to Act

by Vermilion_Sunrise



Series: The Death Eater Chronicles [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: A chance to make it, Angst, F/M, Her dark desires, His sacrifice, Marriage, POV Hermione Granger, POV Severus Snape, Sexual Urges, Wedding, action v. inaction, for the greater good
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-09-29 21:58:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17211587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vermilion_Sunrise/pseuds/Vermilion_Sunrise
Summary: Sevmione, SS/HG: A twist on the "marriage law" theme in which Voldemort requires all of his inner-circle to take brides, under the pretense of fuelling the second generation of Death Eaters. Unbeknownst to Severus, Albus Dumbledore has a plan to not only fulfil the Dark Lord's wishes but also to provide Severus with a fighting chance of living through the war.The first of a two part series, this is the "easy courtship warm-up" story that will give us the warm fuzzies.I had originally published this story on Fanfiction.net in 2015 under a different name. I've now revisited it, started to improve on the chapters and already have parts of part two written.  Part two is much more dark and raw.This is still AU but less AU than I would usually write.





	1. A Tough Job

**Chapter 1 Tough Job**

 

Severus Snape pulled on his Death Eater robes in both haste and disgust. He had warned Albus about what would transpire this afternoon and still the old lune had done nothing to change it. The old man knew the Death Eaters planned to attack Hogsmeade on the day of the Hogwarts Orientation trip for first year students. The bumbling twat knew their lives would be at risk -- yet he let it happen. It had been so predictable, such an easy target for his dark brothers that it boggled Severus’ mind as to why the Order had not identified this as a high probability target. The trip happened every year on July 25th before school would start. The 7th year Prefects and Head Boy/ Head Girl would lead and the younger first years around Hogwarts and then take half the day to see Hogsmeade. 

 

It was a students only affair. There would be no teachers. They would be exposed -- lambs to the proverbial slaughter. And there would be slaughter, of that there was no doubt in Severus’ mind.

 

When it came to death in particular, Severus was generally disposed to indifference. Years of working as a double agent had stolen any sort of remorse, regret, guilt or disgust when it came to death and killing from him. He had been hardened, his soul blackened, his mask of indifference shielding him from emotional pain – it had kept him alive all these years. The last nine months he had taken a "sabbatical" from teaching at Hogwarts, officially for some continuing education in Potions in Romania. Unofficially he had been called to do Voldemort's bidding in the south of Scotland. That included death, torture, the general destruction of lives, people, innocence --and yet this particular attack that Voldemort was planning for today weighed heavily on him. 

 

Hogwarts and the surrounding area had been his home, his sanctuary from an abusive family life. In many respects it still was  a refuge, which meant that any attack on it was personal and close to home. Too close. Severus had and would do almost anything for the Dark Lord – he had committed many unforgivable sins in his name, but this attack on the students tore through his thick armor and hit him right in his soul.

 

Putting on his silver Death Eater’s mask, Severus took a deep breath. He was damned if something happened to a Hogwarts student – all in the Order would deem it his fault for not preparing them properly. There would again be questions about his loyalties, giving rise to more squabbling about his power and role within the Order. Of course he was also damned if he didn't go through with it – the Dark Lord would consider it a weakness and something to be exploited. It could uncover him as a double agent and traitor.

 

This conundrum brought Severus back to the very day he swore allegiance to the Order, now very many years ago. Albus had warned him of this job, told of the dangers there would be and the strength it would require to handle it. “A high degree of mental toughness.” The old wizard had said perhaps not truly knowing what was instore for Severus. 

 

_ ‘But how could he have really known the sins I would commit for the Order?’  _ Severus asked himself, knowing he would never know the answer. ‘ _ A high degree of mental toughness for the shittiest, most dangerous, thankless job in the Order.’  _ He shook his head knowing the last part had been conveniently left out. No one could ever know the depths of his loneliness and nobody on the glorious side of light really cared either.

 

But there was another thing that troubled Severus this day. It was a decree by the Dark Lord. The message had been crystal clear. All those of his inner circle were to find wives by the end of September. There were no excuses, even for a long term bachelor like him. The creature was already thinking about a second and third generation of Death Eaters, which made Severus groan in disgust. By the second week of school he would not only have to have all of his lesson plans in order, placate both of his masters, find some time to decompress but also have a good lead on a bride. He spat at the thought of what that meant. 

 

Severus had an effect on women, that was not unknown to him. Yet finding somebody he could  stand for any length of time -- particularly the rest of his life -- would be impossible no matter the time frame. Of course he had told Albus about this predicament, hoping the leader of the light would have some kind of ‘feel good solution’ to the whole thing. Severus could only seeth at the very memory of standing there in front of him, having all but pleaded they find a reasonable answer and watching the old man’s damn eyes twinkle back at him. With this air of knowing something Severus didn’t, but not wanting to tell him all the same. It was beyond infuriating -- especially because he was running out of time. 

 

It was with that image of the old wizard that Severus appariated for Hogsmeade-- bewilderment and despair his only companions.


	2. Orientation Day Trip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a summer of great change for Hermione, she finds herself fighting Death Eaters in Hogsmeade.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow rewriting and altering this text has been both fun and challenging. I've merged two chapters and cleaned up the seemingly long, huge, crazy amount of grammar errors I had. This has never been a very complex story, but a fun one all the same.
> 
> Cheers!

**Chapter 2 Orientation Day Trip**

 

Hermione Granger looked once more into the mirror before she hurried out to meet her group of assigned first year students. It was her seventh year at Hogwarts -- the year she had dreamed of since she had started there. She was Head Girl, also a dream of hers since she had been a scared little first year student roaming her school’s magical halls. Hermione had also recently been inducted into the Order of the Phoenix, something she could not have foreseen seven years before. In many ways it was bittersweet, induction into the Order meant that she could now work, in an official manner, towards the downfall of Voldemort – but it also meant acknowledging that there was a war going on. So many friends had been lost in this war already, and she knew it would only get worse before it got better. Though this didn't dissuade her.

 

Turning her thoughts to something more cheerful, Hermione grinned to herself thinking of what her classmates would think when they saw her. She had changed quite a bit over the summer and since the end of last year. Of course she had not realized it at first, but many boys in her neighborhood had begun to take notice of the bushy haired bookworm, turned ravishing young lady. Asking her to accompany them to the park or even to the library, where they had never shown much interest before had been surprising -- if not even a little flattering. Her father teased her saying she had had a prolonged "ugly duckling" phase – she had just laughed, but she couldn’t deny there was some truth in his words.

 

Her unruly hair was now tamed with only ten minutes work in the bathroom each morning. It was curly and fell over her shoulders in soft ringlets, no longer bushy or unkempt. Her eyes, the color of amber with gold flecks, were large and bright. They set off the tender and soft features of her face. Smoothing her dress over her hips, Hermione had not doubt that she had grown into a young woman’s body over the last summer months. The curves of her body were proportional and muscular. She had trained in self-defense until she started at Hogwarts, continued as best she could alone at the school and then trained intensely while on school holidays. It was a Muggle thing, no witch or wizard would understand and she had always found it best to keep it quiet. Her work had paid off, and she had to have a smirk on her face as she walked the halls of Hogwarts in her fire engine red summer dress and light grey cardigan.

 

"All right first years, gather 'round." She said to her group of students.

 

The Head boy and girl, as well as the prefects, had divided the first year class amongst themselves. So Hermione was relieved to see 12 sets of eyes staring back at her.

 

_ ‘When did they get so young?’ _ She laughed to herself.

 

She smiled broadly and continued, "We will be going to Hogsmeade as part of your Orientation process. Now everybody find a partner, you will be responsible for him or her to make sure they don't wander from the group. Is that clear?"

 

There was no response, just wide eyes – Hermione took that as a yes.

 

All-in-all the day had been going well. Hogwarts castle was an amazing place, full of history and mystery. Hermione had made sure to introduce them to all the ghosts that inhabited its walls, point out the interesting paintings on the walls and show them where the library was. Nonetheless the students had shown interest in the little town of Hogsmeade as well knowing that, one day, they would be able to go their with their classmates on small outings. She would have one last stop until she could dismiss them all to go home for the afternoon.

 

"This way everybody, now here is Madam Portia's bookstore, one of my favorite places to get additional books for school in a pinch." Hermione emphasised this hoping a bookworm or two would show themselves, instead she just go blank stares. The children piled in after her and she counted as she always did. As the 12th student entered the store she closed the door and introduced them to Madam Portia. After that they were free to roam the bookstore for the next half hour.

 

As an avid reader and returning customer, Hermione took a bit of time to indulge herself in talking with Madam Portia about the newest books she was getting and life in general. It had been so long since they had caught up that neither one of them noticed the bell on the door ring, signalling the opening and closing of the front door.

 

After about twenty minutes Hermione was about to round her group up when it happened. There was an explosion, then screaming. From the shop windows chaos could be seen in the streets, and dark foreboding clouds began to close in on the small town. Her instincts kicked in. Hermione turned quickly and counted her scared first years. ". . .. 9, 10, 11. . . . . " she couldn't find the 12th.

 

_ ‘Merlin's balls!’  _ She could have punched a hole through the wall right now, but she did her very best to stay calm.

 

"Somebody is missing, who?" She said in earnest, trying to keep her voice as calm as possible. Hoping the shaking of her own body didn't reveal her real fear for the child’s life.

 

There was a moment of confusion before one girl raised her hand, "Sarah went to get some candy from down the street. She said she would be right back." The little one who had spoken up looked towards the floor moving her leg in a nervous twisting motion.

 

The poor thing was clearly upset about what was going on and the fact that her friend was missing didn't help.

 

_ ‘Shit,’ _ Hermione thought. ‘ _ Stay calm and find Sarah.’ _

 

"Alright, everybody calm down." She said, as more people began to run in the streets, she could see Death Eaters marching in a column closing in, "Everybody duck down and get behind the counter now. Portia a cellar?" The older witch nodded. "Everybody go down there, I have to get Sarah. Whatever you do don't open the cellar unless it's me."

 

They were all scared, petrified really and all Hermione could think of was that she had to get the little girl out of the hands of the Death Eaters who were attacking Hogsmeade.

 

Drawing her wand she went into the street, fighting the fear rising in her chest. The nice sweet summer’s day had turned dark, as clouds formed over the village. A heavy wind swept through the streets and she had to duck and move as hexes, and trash were flying everywhere. Some from Death Eaters, some from normal wizarding folk. There were no sign of any Aurors yet, which unsettled her.

 

_ ‘So strange _ ,’ she thought.

 

Hermione looked up the road and saw some Death Eaters coming down the street, she would take the back alley around them. There was no need to engage them more than was absolutely necessary, though the desire to fight was strong in her chest. The fear was palpable in the little town, the screams and cries of confused, injured and bewildered people filled the air. Despite all odds it was there, in a somewhat secluded place that she found Sarah on the ground, in a back alley corridor that opened up into a side street. It was dirty, dark and full of trash. Sarah was crying, her newly bought candy all over the dirt around her. Hermione could see she had been attacked, the little girl’s hair was a mess, he knee was scratched up. The Death Eater who had most likely caused this was approaching Sarah, with a stride that would indicate he didn’t think the little girl would run. Hermione could see him reaching into his robes to undo his pants, his chuckle somehow resonating over the chaos of the town direct into Hermione’s ears.

 

"Not today," she said between gritted teeth.

 

Hermione gripped her wand and moved in, unaware that a second Death Eater was watching the whole thing unfold from behind a large bin in the alleyway.

 

Her first hex hit the Death Eater attacking Sarah in the back, ‘ _ Thank Merlin for the element of surprise,’ _ she thought. Her second blew him back a good thirty feet. Knowing that the threat was only temporarily neutralized, Hermione ran to Sarah as fast as she could. The little girl was full of fear and trembling. It made Hermione remember why she had been so keen on being inducted into the Order, to fight jerks like this.

 

"Are you okay?" she asked. The little girl just stared ahead so overwhelmed by what was going on that she dared not move.

 

"Did he, did he hurt you?" Hermione gripped the girl by the shoulders and shook her as she asked the question again-- hoping to move the confused first year to respond. To her great relief Sarah shook her head no.

 

"Good. Now do you remember where the bookstore is?" The little girl nodded, though she was still shaken up.

 

"Take this street and run there, do it now." With tears streaming down her face the girl complied. 

 

Hermione stood up, back turned to her foe, so as to watch Sarah make her way down the street. She needed to make sure she made it, that the little girl would come back to her parents safe and in one piece. Something was wrong about today and it bothered her deeply -- there didn’t seem to be too many options for getting out of this without a fight.


End file.
